PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC:

PAKISTAN'S media manager, Pervez Jamil Mir, said yesterday despite the withdrawals of three of the team's key fast bowlers, the team was still focused and prepared to deal with the challenges of the Cricket World Cup starting later this month.

Former World Cup champions Pakistan arrived here on Friday afternoon minus key players, fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq who were all ruled out of the March 13 to April 28 tournament because of their lack of fitness.

"The players are world-class performers and great bowlers and obviously they will be missed," Mir said.

"But we have some excellent replacements in Mohammad Sami who is one of the fastest bowlers in the world and Yasir Arafat.

"The team morale is as good as anything, but injuries happen at any time and you can't worry about it too much."

He added: "The players are not really worried about injuries in the team and they will go out there with the goal of winning the Cup.

First taste of action

Pakistan were scheduled to get their first taste of action with a light training session at the Frank Worrell Memorial Ground at the UWI St Augustine campus at 9:00 a.m. yesterday.

They will play official warm-up matches against Canada and South Africa next week before flying to Jamaica for Group D, preliminary round matches against West Indies, Zimbabwe and Ireland.